In an impressive display of skill, Yafan Wang scored a first-round upset at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, defeating fourth-seeded Lucia Bronzetti of Italy with a score of 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Wang showcased her prowess by winning 81 percent of her first-serve points and successfully saving four of the five break points she faced. Despite missing three set points on Bronzetti’s serve at 5-4 in the first set, Wang regrouped to secure the tiebreaker with two additional set points. The second set saw Wang claim the lone break, securing her victory.
Other notable results from the opening round include fifth-seeded Diane Parry’s win in an all-French matchup against Jessika Ponchet, finishing 6-3, 7-6 (4). Eighth-seeded Yue Yuan of China staged a comeback against Australia’s Arina Rodionova, triumphing with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Colombia’s Camila Osorio dominated France’s Alize Cornet, concluding the match with a score of 6-3, 6-2.
Meanwhile, in the Cymbiotika San Diego Open, Canada’s Marina Stakusic secured a victory against Russia’s Marina Melnikova with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. Stakusic, ranked 283rd globally, demonstrated her skills, particularly in aces and second-serve points. Other first-round winners included Xinyu Wang of China, Daria Saville of Australia, Katie Boulter of Great Britain, and Jule Niemeier of Germany.
The 19-year-old Stakusic’s performance sets the stage for an exciting second round, where she awaits the winner between seventh-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia and wild-card entrant Katherine Hui, a 19-year-old San Diego native.
The last match of the night featured a clash between sixth-seeded Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and the United States’ Ann Li, adding to the anticipation of the tournament’s unfolding events.
